A. Field of the Invention
The device of the present invention relates to a new and improved shaver.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Electric dry shavers are widely used by men for short facial hair and are also used for trimming longer hair such as sideburns. Electric dry shavers for women are used for shaving underarm and leg hair. The requirements for performing these functions are quite different since women do not require a close shave in the underarm area which is particularly tender or sensitive while they demand close shaving on the legs. Accordingly, two different shaving modes or cutting assemblies are preferably provided for both men's and women's shavers.
A preferred feature of shavers of this type is ease in cleaning the different cutting assemblies thereby prolonging their usefulness. Also desirable is economy of assembly and manufacture. Many prior art shavers require the removal of the skin engaging comb to allow access to the shaving blades for cleaning. In addition, the blades of some prior art shavers are permanently secured within the shaver in multiple parts, thus increasing the difficulty of cleaning and replacement as well as increasing the cost of assembly and production.
Many prior art shavers include long hair cutter or trimmer blades mounted on the head of the shaver at a position spaced from the short hair cutting blades. The long hair cutter blades are typically mounted on the head of the shaver as an appendage and this mounting is not sufficiently rigid to prevent twisting of the blades during use or misassembly of the blades in the head due to molding tolerances. As a result, the blades of the long hair trimmer are not in satisfactory shearing engagement and do not properly cut hair and may even cut the skin of the user.
Another desirable feature of electric shavers is that the blade for cutting the longer hair, such as sideburns, includes a guard to protect from cutting of the skin. Preferably, the guard is movable to various positions in accordance with the length of the hair and the sensitivity of the skin in the area of the hair to be shaved. Typical prior art shavers include a guard whose position relative to the blade is adjusted by a slide member that is mounted on the shaver and held in a selected position by friction, thus allowing the user of the shaver to position the guard at a desired location relative to the cutting blades. Friction serves to maintain the guard in the selected position until changed. A disadvantage of this type of guard position selection device is that the frictional holding force does not provide the user with a positive indication of position and may allow slipping of the guard due to vibrations of the shaver during use.